[CO Build] As good as it gets: Building the best Druid build step-by-step!

[midnight_v]

Can we do the best build: Druid 20
Then have a few more builds that are more powerful because of Prcs?
What else... hmm... maybe because the sources allowed are important:
Best Druid 20
Then based on that: Druid 20 build options.

I personally love aberation wildshape, but I know there are other things... greenbound summoning for example.

[Mooncrow]

Moonspeaker stuff

Yep, there are some nice things in there; the extra options for summoning especially help bridge the SLA gap between SNA and SM.  Though, I don't think that, even for a caster focus, giving up the extra two levels of animal companion is worth the +2 wis.  (Unless you're running the shifter level 1 ACF and convince your DM that Moonspeaker should count towards Beast Spirit advancement)

[brujon]

Moonspeaker stuff

Yep, there are some nice things in there; the extra options for summoning especially help bridge the SLA gap between SNA and SM.  Though, I don't think that, even for a caster focus, giving up the extra two levels of animal companion is worth the +2 wis.  (Unless you're running the shifter level 1 ACF and convince your DM that Moonspeaker should count towards Beast Spirit advancement)

Up to 4 levels of AC progression loss is acceptable because of the "Practiced Animal Companion" feat. More than that... It's better be reeeally good. That said, after reflecting a bit, i'm starting to be underwhelmed by Moonspeaker. Surely there's a hidden PRC for druids somewhere that's better...

[midnight_v]

Natural Bond[General]

Your bond with your animal companion is exceptionally strong.
Prerequisite: Animal companion
Benefit: Add three to your effective druid level for the purpose of determining the bonus Hit Dice, extra tricks, special abilities, and other bonuses that your animal companion receives (see page 36 of the Player's Handbook). This bonus can never make your effective druid level exceed your character level.

3 levels. . . unless there's another feat.

[Halinn]

It might also be worth remembering that animal companion tops out at level 18.

[X-Codes]

Moonspeaker stuff

Yep, there are some nice things in there; the extra options for summoning especially help bridge the SLA gap between SNA and SM.  Though, I don't think that, even for a caster focus, giving up the extra two levels of animal companion is worth the +2 wis.  (Unless you're running the shifter level 1 ACF and convince your DM that Moonspeaker should count towards Beast Spirit advancement)

Up to 4 levels of AC progression loss is acceptable because of the "Practiced Animal Companion" feat. More than that... It's better be reeeally good. That said, after reflecting a bit, i'm starting to be underwhelmed by Moonspeaker. Surely there's a hidden PRC for druids somewhere that's better...

Well, if you go all the way to the capstone then you can just plain summon *any* animal with the Celestial or Fiendish templates applied.  They might demand pay, but they have 3 Int at best, so it shouldn't be hard to trick them into working with you for free.

[OblivionSmurf83]

Hathran 1 + Chameleon 1 will lose the Druid a Caster level but, when combined with Acorn of Far Travel, will allow her to cast any Arcane spell in the entire game. Archivist can cover the Divine ones, though that's now 2 spellcasting levels lost.

[caelic]

Might've overlooked it, but has nobody mentioned Initiate of Nature yet?  I've always found it to be a phenomenally useful feat for a Druid.  Screw one animal companion; I have several!

[Dictum Mortuum]

Might've overlooked it, but has nobody mentioned Initiate of Nature yet?  I've always found it to be a phenomenally useful feat for a Druid.  Screw one animal companion; I have several!

It's good, but not that useful, because of how rebuke/command works. Maybe if we find some utility animals (that can produce poison for instance), that could do the trick.

[Mixster]

Desert half-Orcs with Greenbound summoning make for great 6-8th level summoners.
Shifters with Greenbound summoning make for great 9+ level summoners.

Remember to mention venomfire at level 5, it kindda makes your dinosaur Amigo an unstoppable engine of doom instead of just very very dangerous.

[KellKheraptis]

Short of Planar Shepherd, the top Druid build is Wild Reaper 20, for Ex Fast Healing, Ex Fast Ability Damage Healing, and Turn Undead.  Sacred who for DMM?

[Mooncrow]

Short of Planar Shepherd, the top Druid build is Wild Reaper 20, for Ex Fast Healing, Ex Fast Ability Damage Healing, and Turn Undead.  Sacred who for DMM?

Fair enough^^  The Animal Companion limitations hurt a bit though - sadface for no fleshraker =/

[Noliar]

Assuming flaws are allowed, which do we think are acceptable?
I submit:
Murky eyed (you can usually use spells with no attack rolls and you have access to sensory buffs that will negate many sources of concealment)
Shaky (although ranged combat can be useful at low levels when you need to conserve spells.)
Vulnerable (you either have your AC buffed enough to not care about the penalty or you weren't expecting much protection from your AC anyway given your armour restrictions and DEX as tertiary.)
Weak will (you'll still have a better will save than the BSF.)

[KellKheraptis]

Short of Planar Shepherd, the top Druid build is Wild Reaper 20, for Ex Fast Healing, Ex Fast Ability Damage Healing, and Turn Undead.  Sacred who for DMM?

Fair enough^^  The Animal Companion limitations hurt a bit though - sadface for no fleshraker =/

I beg to differ.  It's perfectly reasonable (and possibly even listed) for a fleshraker to eat carrion.

[Mooncrow]

Short of Planar Shepherd, the top Druid build is Wild Reaper 20, for Ex Fast Healing, Ex Fast Ability Damage Healing, and Turn Undead.  Sacred who for DMM?

Fair enough^^  The Animal Companion limitations hurt a bit though - sadface for no fleshraker =/

I beg to differ.  It's perfectly reasonable (and possibly even listed) for a fleshraker to eat carrion.

It's not listed - just hunting, and that when food is scare, they travel longer distances to hunt.  That's not to say it's not reasonable, but it's not automatic, either.   

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Three small things:
1) ... Core Druid 20 has already been done
2) ... Quickstart Druid has also already been done (wink)
3) ... any Druid build involving

<snip>

... just because I keep screwing up the pronunciation,
ABSOLUTELY has to at some point include one of these
 

(click to show/hide)

Ankylosaurus

[awaken_D_M_golem]

iirc - the old 3.0e Druid guys found the basic Reincarnate trick.

The pc ages to the oldest category.
Has a Reincarnate ready to go ... (and a contingency if they got no friends in the world).
Comes back to life with rather extravagant base Stats.
This is kinda T.O.-ish really.
3.5e version of this isn't quite as good.

[Mixster]

I don't have Dragon 311 handy atm but doesn't wild reaper say that your animal companion must be carnivorous or an omnivore that eats carrion. So Carnivorous is fine and dandy?

Wild reaper is pretty sick from level 12 and onwards, untill then getting Battle Axe and Throwing Axe profiency for Scimitar Profiency is decent.
Losing Elemental wild shape is situational but getting ability damage fast healing is awesome. As is access to DMM from level 12 on.

[Dictum Mortuum]

We need to set some ground rules for this build.

• It's going to be a vanilla druid 20, to avoid problems like unavailable books, DM bans, etc. Most druid prestige classes that are worth it have minor requirements anyway, so Planar Shephard, Moonspeaker and Lion of Talisid can be easily incorporated into a build. The same is true for stuff like dragon alternative class features, like Wild Reaper KellKheraptis mentioned; it's awesome and I'd use it without second thought if allowed, but it's too specific for a CO staple.
• I've never been a fan of "focused" druids. Seriously, besides augment summoning, there are not many summoning-related feats that are worth it. We'll have to try to fit in as many aspects as we can.
• I'm going to assume that feat and skill retraining is fair game, to keep the build playable at all levels.
• Sample point buy scores? If 32pb is used, probably a 8/8/14/14/18/10 is going to be the best. Generally, Wis > Con > Int = Cha > Dex > Str

[Rebel7284]

besides augment summoning, there are not many summoning-related feats that are worth it.

Sure there might not be MANY feats for summoning, but the ones that exist are pretty great.  Greenbound Summoning allows you a 5th level spell at level 1 and never becomes weak.  Ashbound is great too.  And I keep hearing praise for Rashami Elemental Summoning, although I haven't really looked into that myself.